Merry Christmas, Obi-Wan
by imaginedestiel
Summary: Anakin decides Obi-Wan should get his gift early. Not everything goes as expected, as usual.


The Jedi lived a simple life with few possessions, so around the holidays Anakin had to get creative. The traditional presents of mankind would not float with his Master. Clearly, however, Obi-Wan deserved something nice as much as he needed it.

The man rested his hand over his beard, his shoulders tense and his eyes weary. They'd been fighting battles nonstop for the past week in frigid air that bit to the bone. Now they were on Coruscant, a place as close to home as they had, but the stresses of the war hadn't left General Kenobi.

Anakin placed his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Master, you need to relax."

"I just can't figure out what went wrong," Obi-Wan said, slipping out from under his grip to pace around their apartment.

"All we can do now is move on," replied Anakin, who had asked himself the same question many times before.

Obi-Wan turned and walked up to him, a small smile on his lips. He touched Anakin's cheek, his eyes admiring him softly. "That is very wise, Anakin. I'll keep it in mind." And he went back to pacing, only more meticulous and calm.

Anakin sighed. He decided his Master would receive his gift early.

Several hours and droid missions later, Anakin had secured what he needed from Threepio and Artoo. When Obi-Wan returned from a Council meeting, Anakin dragged him outside.

"Shouldn't I be the one leading my Padawan by the hand?" Obi-Wan prattled on, "Where are we going? It's far too cold for this, Anakin—"

Anakin kissed him to shut him up. Obi-Wan looked around quickly and saw no one had witnessed it. "You must be more careful, young one," he said, blushing slightly.

"And you must stop talking so much," Anakin retorted, "Or you'll miss all the fun." He led Obi-Wan to a speeder and jumped into the pilot's seat.

Obi-Wan sat down reluctantly. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Anakin grinned and pushed the accelerator. Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself, only to find he wasn't subjected to the familiar gut-wrenching lurch of flight. He opened his eyes and watched the traffic fade behind them as Anakin steered them somewhere less populated—as remote as it could be in the giant, glittering city. Anakin peeked at him, smirking when he saw Obi-Wan's pleasantly surprised expression.

"Eyes on the sky, Anakin," grumbled Obi-Wan.

The speeder slowed to a stop in front of an old-fashioned lodge. There was no snowy mountain to support it, but there might as well have been—it floated in the air and offered a spectacular view of the city. It was breathtaking.

Anakin offered his arm to Obi-Wan, who figured it couldn't hurt. They strode through the big glass doors and into the warm lobby. Anakin kept walking and walking until another set of painted windows faced them.

"Wait," Obi-Wan said despairingly as his Padawan pushed open the doors. Anakin pulled him outside as a gust of freezing wind hit them. Obi-Wan moaned at the cold.

"Patience, Master," said Anakin. The fireplace was blazing just as he'd planned. Obi-Wan sat down eagerly and put his palms toward the flames. "Not so bad now, is it?"

"It could be worse," Obi-Wan replied. Oh, how he'd regret that.

Anakin made an excruciatingly taunting face as he pulled out a bag of marshmallows and roasting sticks. Who taught this boy his manners? _Me, for the most part,_ thought Obi-Wan begrudgingly.

Anakin set up plates for s'mores, complete with chocolate squares and graham crackers. Obi-Wan smiled, feeling a little warm inside. It was... touching that he'd planned this for him. Their time spent together was too often perilous, a hair's breadth away from death, and it flashed in his memory without meaning or comprehension. He wanted to hear Anakin's quiet confessions, and breathy sighs, not his agonized cries or battle orders. He'd forgotten what it was like to feel balanced in their bond. To be at peace.

Obi-Wan had assembled and eaten half a s'more without realizing it. He looked at it confusedly as Anakin watched him in amusement.

"You got a little something right here—" Anakin said, tapping the corner of his lip, "I'll get it." He pulled on the hood of his Jedi robe, successfully hiding his face, and leaned over. Anakin's tongue darted out to taste the spot on Obi-Wan's face, and his Master was both eager and on the verge of laughter. He gripped the edges of Anakin's hood and pulled him closer, capturing his mouth and the sweetness hidden there. _So that's what the s'more had tasted like._ Anakin cupped his face with both mechanical and viable hands and adorned Obi-Wan with a few more lingering kisses before pulling away. They both looked very dreamy, and Anakin was grinning widely.

"Actually, 'kissing' was last on the list of activities I planned," Anakin told him.

Obi-Wan replied in a low, teasing voice. "Really?"

"I know what you're thinking. No, I didn't rent us a room," he said, gesturing to the lodge. He scolded, "How indecent of you, Master."

"One could only hope," responded Obi-Wan playfully. He didn't want Anakin to feel rushed.

A staff member of Coruscant's Luxury Comfort Lodge came to tell the Jedi that the loft area would be closing shortly for the evening. Anakin packed away their treats in a bag he slung over his shoulder.

Obi-Wan laughed through his nose. Anakin was so quick to be miffed. They walked through the lobby again and Obi-Wan asked, "So what's next on the list?"

Anakin smiled then. "Hot chocolate," he answered.

"Thank the Maker!" The cold had frozen Obi-Wan's fingers, ears, and nose, but Anakin found the red of each adorable. They made their way to the green speeder, but when Anakin tried to pilot it, the thing wouldn't budge.

"What?" Anakin cried, incredulous.

"It must be the cold," Obi-Wan said ever so sarcastically as he got out of his seat.

Anakin sent him a look before he ignited his lightsaber and cut a square out of the speeder beneath the steering wheel. Obi-Wan wrapped his robe around himself tightly. His Padawan went to work on the wires and metal inner workings.

"Don't mind me, I'll just freeze over here."

"For all your years on me, you sure act as many years younger," Anakin replied.

Obi-Wan huffed, his breath creating a foggy cloud in the air.

"Come here," said Anakin, who stood on the back of the speeder as Obi-Wan approached. "Lie down there," he directed, and Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows at him but settled across the synthleather seats. Anakin spread his body across Obi-Wan's, thoroughly squashing him, but providing some warmth, too. He was in a better position to reach the ignition wires now. Obi-Wan stuck his icy fingers under Anakin's tunic.

" _Kriff_ —" Anakin jumped and glared at the man beneath him, who beamed as he moved his hands up and down slightly. "That's not hot," Anakin protested, seeing as how Obi-Wan delighted in touching him.

"It is for me," Obi-Wan said. His hands searched higher and grasped each side of Anakin's ribs, finding his skin to be very warm and toasty.

"Master," groaned Anakin. The air was nipping at his back now that his clothes had been rumpled.

"I'm motivating you to get the speeder flying."

"Riiiight."

With a twist of his fingers, Anakin started their ride. He grinned triumphantly and Obi-Wan pressed a kiss to his cheek.

They went back to their apartment and Anakin fixed Obi-Wan a large mug of hot chocolate. It tickled his throat and made his nose run. Anakin procured a handkerchief for him and Obi-Wan used it as discreetly as he could. "You thought of everything, didn't you?" he asked, the color returning to his cheeks.

"I try, Master," Anakin replied. He took Obi-Wan's hand as their music player turned on and emitted quiet, dreary holiday songs. They strode towards the giant glass windows to see the sun set. The sky lit up scarlet and gold near the horizon, violet and black above them, the infinite windows of the city glowing brighter as the light of the sun dimmed. Obi-Wan rested his head on Anakin's shoulder as his Padawan finished the last swallow of hot chocolate.

Anakin looked down at Obi-Wan's closed eyes, his red eyelashes fanned out against his pale skin. He murmured, "Tired, Master?"

"Very much so." He nuzzled into the crook of Anakin's neck.

Anakin used the Force to set down their mugs and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan. "Let's go to bed."

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed, and soon they were snuggled up together under a pile of blankets, just like old times. Obi-Wan caressed Anakin's face and carded his fingers through the boy's hair. Everything was warm and sweet and perfect. "This is a wonderful gift, Anakin. I wish I had something for you," said Obi-Wan.

Anakin traced the line of skin between Obi-Wan's cheek and beard and looked into his sad eyes. He said softly, "You're enough for me."

Obi-Wan curled an arm around Anakin and pulled him closer. "You don't want...more?" Maybe he didn't want to be rushed, either.

Anakin bit his lip like he was thinking on it. "Just you." There were other things he desired, sure, but nothing brought him the same joy as Obi-Wan. Anakin leaned in and Obi-Wan met his lips happily. "Merry Christmas, Obi-Wan," Anakin said as they parted.

Obi-Wan smiled and touched his forehead to Anakin's. "Merry Christmas, Anakin."


End file.
